Cazuela Baked Apples

I just found this recipe last week in the Everyday magazine by Rachael Ray. This is a baked dessert from Puerto Rico and it is out of this world!

I changed a few thing so that it would be ok for hubby to eat and it was delish! Wow! It tastes like pumpkin pie, but better and it’s good for you! I’ve only really had the cookies for Brian that were a good no sugar, no grain dessert, but now I have a new addition! I can’t stop talking about how good they are! We had dinner on Monday with my Mom and Dad and grandparents and I made them and they were a hit with them as well. We are also having company over next week and I know they have dietary restrictions similar to us, so I’m planning on having them that evening as well.

Maybe you won’t like them as much as I did, but certainly give them a try! It isn’t chocolate, but it is sweet and Oh SO good! They do take a little bit of effort to make, but it is well worth it. Read on and give it a try! I did alter the recipe here and there and my version is listed below.

Preheat the oven to 375 and roast the butternut squash and sweet potato. After you stick this in the oven, brush the apples with lemon juice. Grease a small baking dish and add 2 TBSP of lemon juice. Place the apples cut side down in the dish and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a melon baller, scoop the flesh from each apple into a medium bowl, leaving a ¼ inch thick shell. Place scooped out apple into the food processor/cuisenart.

Once the squash and potato have cooked, let them cool enough to be able to handle them. Scoop out the potato and put in cuisenart along with the apple. Scoop 1 cup of the roasted butternut or acorn squash out of the skin and add with the rest of the ingredients to cuisenart. Process until smooth.

Place the apples on a baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Fill with the squash mixture and broil for 3-5 minutes or until tops are nicely browned.

One more note: Since it doesn’t take much squash and only uses a small sweet potato, I did a little extra work which made it easy peasy next time I wanted to make it. After using the squash I needed then I took the rest of it, pureed it and froze it. I also roasted a medium/large sweet potato and did the same. When I made it for my family on Monday it took all of 10 minutes to prepare because I had done a little extra work the first time I made them. Just an idea for a time saver!